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An old road cider stand built in 1922 during Prohibition to resemble a barrel. No longer in use, it makes an odd neighbor to large apartment towers built around it. Preservationists hope to keep it as a Germantown landmark.

The Cider Barrel, an example of roadside novelty architecture shaped like a barrel (it once sold apple cider) was built in 1922. It's been closed and vacant since 2003 -- but a Washington, DC, pastry chef has launched a Kickstarter campaign to reopen the Barrel by turning it into a bakery selling coffee, pastries, and ice cream.

[Wendy, 08/23/2017]

The Cider Barrel - Old Road Stand

The Cider Barrel stand remains in place, unused, surrounded by developers who agreed to keep it. It is truly a historic icon for the locals, and it would have been devastating for them to lose it.

[Julie Mangin, 03/29/2012]

Cider Barrel - Vague Recollections

My family and I used to go to the Cider Barrel to buy the most delicious cider. It was used by Butler orchards, who I think is still there, to sell their apple cider.

[Judith, 11/04/2010]

Cider Barrel

It looks like the Cider Barrel has been refurnished. You can now see the new condos in the background - looks like the developers are sticking to their word about keeping the Cider Barrel intact. They even named a street within the new condos "Apple Harvest Lane," I suppose as a sign of respect for the Cider Barrel?

[Nat Balsley, 04/29/2007]

Cider Barrel

A local resident tells me that the giant Cider Barrel will remain on the west side of Route 355 in Germantown, although it will stay closed. A development has sprung up around the barrel (where once was a trailer park), but the developer apparently agreed not to remove it.